Listen up, America: It’s Time to Value our Teachers

Can you imagine a day in America when teachers are valued as highly as attorneys or entrepreneurs? Or if the average salary for American educators was six figures? It may sound like a pipedream, but that’s what Fahad Hassan, founder and CEO of Always Prepped, is proposing in a recent Huffington Post article.

“Let me be loud and clear: every teacher in this country should be paid a six-figure salary,” says Hassan. “We found $2 trillion to fight the Iraq War, I know we can find a way to increase the average teacher pay from $56,000 for 3.7 million teachers to $100,000 or greater. We have the money to make this happen and I believe most teachers deserve it. Those not worthy, qualified, or passionate should leave teaching and pursue other dreams. Teaching is no different than any other profession, and I would encourage those who love education, but choose not to teach, to help in other ways.”

Valuing our teachers has always been a focus at Daily Edventures, and we believe that showcasing teachers – like Jeff Charbonneau, Chris Lehmann, or Monica Kissel – who are creatively solving today’s educational challenges is just one small step in changing the perception of American teachers.

What do you think? How do you think we can help teachers be better appreciated in America — or anywhere else, for that matter? What more do we need to do to make this vision a reality? Let me know @anthonysalcito.